Fabs's Fantasy Football Winners and Losers From Preseason Week 2

Ranks: Top 200 | QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF | K | Mock Draft

The second week of the NFL preseason is in the books, and there was once again plenty of hype, overreaction and social media reaction following the games. Heck, it seems De’Zhaun Stribling is suddenly the second coming of Jerry Rice, Cam Ward is a complete dud and Fernando Mendoza looked like … a rookie (gasp!).

Take it easy, my friends.

Preseason action can be useful, of course, but if you’re moving players up or down your fantasy rankings based on one exhibition game, your rankings probably needed some work anyway! That said, there are definitely some players and scenarios that we should monitor over the next three weeks. Take these notes with a grain of salt, but keep them in the back of your mind moving forward.

Note: ADP data is from FootballGuys.

Week 2 Preseason Fantasy Winners

De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, 49ers (WR52, ADP - 122): Stribling caught four of five targets for 46 yards in the Niners’ preseason win over the Chargers. That came after he hauled in seven passes for 63 yards in his NFL debut. The Niners are banged up at wideout, as Ricky Pearsall (knee) is already gone for the season and Mike Evans, Christian Kirk and others have been slowed due to various ailments. Per PFF, Stribling lined up more often on the outside in his second game, but playing the slot might be his best chance at seeing consistent opportunities. Stribling’s stock has soared to the point where I’ve seen him picked in Round 7, which is too high, but he’s definitely now in the WR4 range and could be a flex starter in a best-case scenario.

Jadarian Price, RB, Seahawks (RB26, ADP 62): The Seahawks have decided to put Price on the shelf for the remainder of the preseason as they prepare him for real games next month. This is good news for the rookie, as it suggests he’ll be the lead back ahead of George Holani and Emanuel Wilson. Keep in mind that Zach Charbonnet, who had ACL surgery just six months ago, remains on the PUP list. While Price could lose work to Charbonnet upon the latter's return, he has a good chance to make a significant fantasy impact. Target him in Round 5 or 6.

Jonathon Brooks, RB, Panthers (RB29, ADP 73): Brooks got the start against the Jaguars on Friday, playing with the first-team offense while Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) remains sidelined. He saw five carries for 18 yards and scored a touchdown in the contest. Hubbard is expected to be back in time for the start of the season, but this backfield has all the looks of a potential committee … and Brooks might play his way to leading it. He’s clearly on the flex-starter radar in drafts.

Woody Marks, RB, Texans (RB43, ADP 133): Marks looked great in Thursday’s game against the Raiders, rushing four times for 37 yards while scoring a touchdown. He got the start while the Texans rested starter David Montgomery, but reports out of Houston suggest this could be closer to a 50-50 backfield split rather than Montgomery dominating touches. I don’t think it makes DM significantly less attractive in drafts, since the Texans likely will run the ball a ton, but it does make Marks a potential value as a No. 4 or 5 running back and bye-week flex starter.

Keaton Mitchell, RB, Chargers (RB44, ADP 134): Mitchell has quickly become one of my top late-round dart throws. He’s clearly the No. 2 back in Los Angeles behind Omarion Hampton, and I can see him playing a real role in the passing game for new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. While he’ll lose some luster in standard leagues, Mitchell could certainly find some value as a standalone, matchup-based flex option in those formats that award points for catches.

Week 2 Preseason Fantasy Losers

Ashton Jeanty, RB, Raiders (RB6, ADP 10): Jeanty has suffered an ankle injury, and we’re unsure how long it will keep him out of action at this point. Still, it looks like he’ll miss the rest of the preseason and possibly the start of the regular season. If we find out Jeanty dodged a bullet and will play in Week 1 against the Dolphins, well, his stock won’t change. If we find out he’ll be forced to miss time, however, we could see his ADP drop out of the first round (and he had been getting picked in the top five more often in recent drafts). Stay tuned.

Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty, who had to be helped off the practice field today, is believed to have sprained his ankle, sources tell @rapsheet and me. The Raiders still are unsure how long he will be out, but it is not considered a long-term injury and the organization is breathing… pic.twitter.com/toRYADmjo1
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 24, 2026

Tony Pollard, RB, Titans (RB30, ADP 78): Could a true backfield committee be emerging in Tennessee? On Sunday night vs. the Seahawks, Pollard and Tyjae Spears shared the workload for the second straight preseason game. In fact, per PFF, Spears got more snaps than Pollard, as Pollard got the start and played eight snaps while Spears saw 11 snaps. This might not indicate a full 50-50 split once the regular season begins, but it is notable if you're counting on Pollard as a fantasy starter.

Zachariah Branch, WR, Falcons (WR80, ADP - 195): Branch is considered a nice deep sleeper, but it might take some time for him to make any sort of fantasy impact. He played a very limited role against the Colts, mostly in 11 personnel. At this point, it seems he is behind Drake London, Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zacchaeus on the Falcons' depth chart. At this point, it seems Branch’s value is limited to dynasty formats or larger redraft leagues.

Oronde Gadsden, TE, Chargers (TE22, ADP - 164): Gadsden, who already was on my tight end busts list, might not even be draftable at this point. In the first preseason contest, it was David Njoku and Charlie Kolar who rested with the starters while Gadsden was active. This past week, he didn’t see a single snap on the first two drives against the 49ers. When you also consider that McDaniel often rotated tight ends during his time in Miami, Gadsden suddenly could be in a confusing tight end committee where no one can be trusted in fantasy leagues.

Eli Stowers, TE, Eagles (TE36, ADP 258): Stowers, a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, appears unlikely to make any kind of fantasy impact in Year 1, at least based on his preseason usage. With Dallas Goedert entrenched as the starter, initial thoughts had Stowers being second on the depth chart. However, it looks like he’s no better than third behind Goedert and Grant Calcaterra. Johnny Mundt also could be ahead of him in Week 1. At this point, Stowers isn’t draftable in seasonal leagues and has value only in dynasty formats.

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